THE CONFERENCE

Horizons Beyond Borders

The Venetian Villas at the centre of well-being
[Re]connecting to the future

Saturday 21 October – Vidor Abbey (Treviso)
from 10am to 1pm

The Conference “Venetian Villas Beyond Borders” 2023 Edition aims this year to reflect upon the original vocation behind the design and building of the Venetian Villas (as exemplified by Andrea Palladio’s use of the word “fabrica” (“production site”)), and how this may serve to reconnect them to the future.

This connection is rooted in their founding values – values which are increasing relevant today and perfectly embodied by the Venetian Villa: slow living, well-being, green issues, sustainability, local tourism, locally sourced high-quality food and wine, to mention just a few of the vocational strengths of the Venetian Villa.

Villas constructed during the Venetian Republic era which today hold the same economic and social objectives as the entire global community.

(Re)connection is thus a highly evocative word which serves to underscore the continuity of purpose, and at the same time chart the course for the future.

The Conference therefore seeks to be a forum for showcasing new “connections”: much like the Venetian Republic itself, which was a crossroads of thinking, peoples and customs, these connections transcend geographical, cultural, social and environmental borders, to also touch on spiritual, psychological and physical well-being.

The theme of the Conference of this second edition of the “Giornata delle Ville Venete” (Venetian Villas Weekend) is therefore: “The Venetian Villa at the centre of well-being. Reconnecting to the future”.
 The Conference is scheduled for Saturday 21 October 2023 from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm and will be held in a prestigious venue:  The Santa Bona Abbey in Vidor, Treviso.

Here, within a venue boasting a long heritage and spiritual importance, we’ll describe how the Venetian Villa can also represent a haven to promote personal well-being, both physical and spiritual, enabling us to reconnect, not only with ourselves but also with nature and the surrounding environment, and thus help reawaken a deeper wisdom and understanding of historical roots.

To this end, the conference will include thematic insights, featuring talks by, among others, experts on well-being, neuroscience, architectural psychology and Zen Masters.

We will thus have the opportunity to delve deeper into some aspects of the Culture and Heritage of the Villas, and discover the major relevance they have today.
So a far-reaching agenda, which will also explore a central theme: the generational handover by the owners of the Venetian Villas.

Including what the future holds for them. And for the Venetian Villas themselves.

The conference will commence with the formal welcome speeches and introduction of speakers and supporters of this initiative: the President of the Association for Venetian Villas Isabella Collalto de Croÿ, and the President of IRVV – The Regional Institute of Venetian Villas Prof. Amerigo Restucci.

Also present will be: Alessio Carciofi, a leading expert in digital detox, who will give a talk about how well-being is a quality inherent to the genius loci of the Venetian Villas. Rosa Baroni, professor at the University of Padua, and expert in architectural psychology who will talk about how the Venetian Villas were built as creators of well-being and functionality. Next, Koren Montemurro, a Zen nun and expert on Mindfulness will discuss the benefits of “meditative walking”. She will be in conversation with Andrea Eko Maragno, abbot of the OraZen Monastery in Padua.

Then there will be a presentation by Michaela Bellisario, a journalist with the RCS Media Group and supporter of the Mindfulness Festival. With her, we’ll embark upon a virtual journey from villa to villa and explore the extent to which the Otium and Negotium of our Latin masters can still be considered relevant today.

Two owners will then give interesting first-hand accounts of their own experiences: first Giulio Da Sacco, present owner of the Vidor Abbey, will be taking a deep look at the generational handover of the Venetian Villas and the changes this brings.

Then Florian Stepski Doliwa will speak. As owner of Villa Rechsteiner, he is one of the new generation of proprietors currently addressing the challenge of “making the Venetian Villa work” again, precisely in keeping with the precept defined by Palladio of “fabrica” (“production site”).

Additionally, we’ll have the opportunity to address another theme included among the experiences offered during the Giornata delle Ville Venete: Generation Z

A generation which bears the weight of our hopes: they’re already familiar with new languages of the digital revolution, they embrace the Metaverse, and are used to interacting with Artificial Intelligence – this is the generation at the forefront of the digital transition, those blazing the trail of this Re-connection which is so dear to us: the much hoped-for future, marking a real change of direction, with the Venetian Villa firmly at the centre of the debate.

Participation is free
Places are limited so booking is compulsory

* The request will be confirmed by e-mail from the organizational secretariat to the address you indicate in the request form.